Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez on Friday publicly rebutted US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's assertion that Washington does not obstruct oil shipments to Cuba, pointing directly to Executive Order 14380 — signed by US President Donald Trump on 29 January — which authorises punitive tariffs on imports from any country that supplies oil to the island. The sharp diplomatic exchange underscores the deepening energy and political crisis gripping Havana.

Rodriguez's Rebuttal on X

Rodriguez posted his challenge on social media platform X, noting that Rubio had repeatedly claimed before a US Senate committee on Tuesday that the US government does not block oil shipments to Cuba. The foreign minister countered that Executive Order 14380 effectively threatens any third country with commercial retaliation in the US market if it trades oil with Cuba.

'Is that not blocking the entry of oil into Cuba?' Rodriguez wrote, characterising the measure as economic coercion directed not just at Cuba but at sovereign nations that choose to trade with it.

Cuba's Acute Fuel Shortage

The stakes of this dispute are immediate and severe. According to official figures, Cuba requires approximately eight fuel shipments a month to operate normally. So far in 2025, the island has received only one crude oil shipment — the Russian tanker Anatoly Kolodkin, carrying roughly 100,000 tonnes of oil. The gap between supply and need reflects the chilling effect that the threat of US tariffs has had on potential suppliers.

Terror Designation Row

The oil dispute is one front in a broader confrontation. On Wednesday, Cuba also rejected terrorism accusations Rubio made during the same Senate hearing, where he defended the Trump administration's decision to keep Cuba on the US list of alleged state sponsors of terrorism. Rodriguez argued the designation rests on political criteria rather than evidence.

'The designation is so arbitrary and devoid of moral sense that the US Secretary of State himself lacks arguments before that country's Congress to justify the imposition of this criminal measure,' Rodriguez said. He further alleged that Rubio's remarks revealed Washington's intent to 'strangle the Cuban economy by every possible means, provoke a humanitarian crisis, and promote military intervention in Cuba.' Rodriguez also expressed alarm that Congress 'allows the lie of a public servant to stand.'

Broader Context and What Comes Next

This comes amid a prolonged Cuban energy crisis that has triggered widespread blackouts and economic hardship. Executive Order 14380 is part of a broader tightening of US sanctions under the Trump administration's second term, which has also retained Cuba's terror-sponsor designation — a label that deters international banks and shippers from engaging with the island. Notably, the order's secondary-sanctions mechanism mirrors pressure tactics used against Iran and Venezuela, effectively extending Washington's reach beyond bilateral relations.

With only one oil delivery received this year against a monthly requirement of eight, analysts warn that Cuba's energy situation is likely to worsen further unless a consistent supply channel is established. Whether Havana can secure alternative suppliers willing to absorb US tariff risk remains the central question heading into the coming months.